Body Worn Video

Increasing the potential of evidence based prosecutions to support vulnerable victims

Improving the investigation of complaints

Capturing events in a way that can’t be captured in writing.

What is BWV?

Body Worn Video refers to small, lightweight, video cameras which are attached visibly to an officer’s uniform (usually on the chest) and which can be switched on and off by the officer to record both audio and video footage securely. The footage is uploaded onto secure infrastructure and saved for use as evidence, or automatically deleted if of no evidential value.

BWV has been deployed in the following units

Local Policing Teams;

Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

Tactical Support Groups;

Roads Policing Units;

Dog Section;

District Support Teams;

Armed Response Unit*;

* Note that the use of BWV for armed response teams is subject to different procedures. However, in all cases, the use of BWV equipment must be incident specific, proportionate, legitimate, necessary and justifiable.

BWV roll out to the Police Service started in June 2016 and completed in July 2017, with the exception of ARU which is currently conducting an ongoing trial of head mounted cameras.

Reasons for using BWV

BWV contributes to effective Policing by;

Capturing the best evidence

Building Confidence in Policing

Body Worn Video has the potential to improve significantly the quality of evidence provided by Police Officers. It can enable the raw emotion from a scene to be replayed in court in a manner that could never be captured in a written witness statement.

Offenders are more likely to plead guilty if they know they have been recorded, potentially speeding up the criminal justice process.

It also has the potential to significantly enhance public confidence through more effective and transparent policing and improving the investigation of complaints.

A number of policing oversight bodies have made recommendations that the Police Service should consider the implementation of a BWV solution.

The Criminal Justice Inspectorate Northern Ireland report entitled ‘Handling of Domestic Violence and Abuse 2010’ recommended that “In consultation with the PPS, the PSNI should explore the feasibility of further roll-out of the Body Worn Digital Recording System to the other police Districts in Northern Ireland and take action to do so, as appropriate.”

The 2015 report ‘Review of Efficiency of Criminal Proceedings’ authored by Sir Brian Leveson states use of body worn video should be encouraged and mechanisms developed to ensure that this evidence can be played in court without disruption to business of the court.

In common with other UK police services and in line with recommendations from a number of sources including the Policing College, Senior Police Officers’ Associations and the Home Office, PSNI has implemented the use of body worn video devices across the service in line with national guidelines.

When will BWV be used?

The use of BWV by Officers must be justified as being proportionate, legitimate, and necessary. Cameras can only be used by Officers trained in the use of BWV in line with National Guidance.

The BWV camera will normally be turned off.

The Officer makes a professional judgement / assessment to activate the camera based upon guidance and training. Two red lights will display on the front of the camera when it is recording. A warning that video and audio is being recorded will be issued by the Officer as soon as practically possible.

The device is turned off once the incident has concluded.

BWV can be used to gather evidence across a wide range of operational situations.

Officers have been trained that they should record Domestic Violence and Stop and Search encounters and the following types of incidents can be recorded, public order offences, traffic offences, anti-social behaviour, premises and crime scene searching, scene attendance, witness first accounts, during arrest (list not exhaustive).

Once the officer has captured video images they will return to the station and dock the device. The data will be stored automatically onto a secure back office storage area. Once the information has been successfully stored, the application will issue an erase command to the device which will wipe the device ready for its next use.

Using the back office video management software the footage may be stored as evidential. The source video images cannot be altered. Additionally, a partial extract may be produced. This extract will normally be a subset of the video shot, focussed on the offence whilst ensuring sufficient contextual information is displayed. The back office video management software also enables the officer to pixilate any bystanders appearing in the evidential video who are not associated with the case.

If the information recorded is not saved as evidential and will not form part of a subsequent prosecution, the information will be automatically deleted after 31 days.

Have I a right to see a video?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 grants a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, which will include digital images such as those recorded by body worn video.

If you wish to make a request for ‘personal data’ you must do so in writing or by completing the PSNI Subject Access Request form (DAT1) via the PSNI website.

About the Cameras

Body worn video refers to lightweight video camera systems which are attached to an officer’s uniform and which can be switched on and off by the officer. The devices purchased are to a UK Policing specification with:

150 Degree Horizontal Field of View;

720 p HD Video quality;

8 hours continuous recording capacity or 48 hours standby;

Evidence quality images and processes.

PSNI will have a total of 2,100 camera and charging units and these are used by up to approximately 3200 officers following training.

FAQ

Why is BWV being used by Police?

To obtain best evidence and help build confidence with the community. It can enable the raw emotion from a scene to be replayed in court in a manner that could never be captured in a written witness statement. It also has the potential to significantly enhance public confidence through more effective and transparent policing and improving the investigation of complaints.

Which Officers have BWV cameras?

Body Worn Video cameras are being used by frontline officers in Local Policing Teams, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, District Support Teams, Tactical Support Groups including dog handlers, Roads Policing Unit, and a limited number of Officers in the Armed Response Unit using head mounted cameras.

From when will cameras be used by Officers?

Roll out of Cameras to the whole Police Service completed in July 2017 with the exception of Armed Response Unit who are currently conducting a trial of head mounted cameras for a limited number of Officers.

Where will the cameras be worn?

The cameras are attached to the Officers uniform, usually on the chest. Specialist Officers in the Armed Response Unit may also use head mounted cameras.

Is the Camera recording all the time?

No, training and guidance for Officers is that camera use should be incident specific. Incidents of Domestic Violence and Stop and Search should be recorded and other types of incidents such as public order offences, traffic offences, anti-social behaviour, premises and crime scene searching, scene attendance, witness first accounts, during arrest can be recorded (list not exhaustive).

How will I know I’m being recorded?

Officers should as soon as practicable say that they are audio and video recording. When the camera is recording it displays two red lights on the front.

What happens to recorded footage?

Once the officer has captured video images he / she will return to the station and dock the camera. The data will be stored automatically onto a secure back office storage area. Once the information has been successfully stored, the application will issue an erase command to the device which will wipe the camera ready for its next use.

Using the back office video management software the footage may be stored as evidential. The source video images cannot be altered. Additionally, a partial extract may be produced. This extract will normally be a subset of the video shot, focussed on the offence whilst ensuring sufficient contextual information is displayed. The back office video management software also enables the officer to pixilate any bystanders appearing in the evidential video who are not associated with the case.

If the information recorded is not saved as evidential and will not form part of a subsequent prosecution, the information will be automatically deleted after 31 days.

Can recorded footage be deleted, or changed?

No, all recorded footage on the camera will be transferred automatically to the secure back office storage area when the device is docked at the station.

If the information recorded is not saved as evidential and will not form part of a subsequent prosecution, the information will be automatically deleted after 31 days.

Using the back office video management software the footage may be stored as evidential.

The original source footage stored as evidence cannot be altered.

However the back office video management software also enables officers to pixilate any bystanders appearing in the evidential video who are not associated with the case. This will be stored as a separate version.

Am I entitled to view the video footage?

Digital images such as those recorded by body worn video are considered information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If you wish to make a request for ‘personal data’ you must do so in writing or by completing the PSNI Subject Access Request form (DAT1) via the PSNI website.

What about my right to privacy?

Officers may make a recording in public or private if it is justified as being proportionate, legitimate and necessary. Officers are trained to give appropriate consideration in circumstances or places where there is a greater expectation of privacy for individuals. If the information recorded is not saved as evidential and will not form part of a subsequent prosecution, the information will be automatically deleted after 31 days.